


silence is easy

by helloshepard



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Other, Post-Canon, Second Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 00:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17032542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloshepard/pseuds/helloshepard
Summary: “Hey buddy?”What.“Okay, first, that’s rude,” Eddie says, ticking off his fingers. “Not how we talk to people on Earth. Two. About that kiss.”





	silence is easy

**Author's Note:**

> May I offer you some symbrock in these trying times? 
> 
> Basically, this is a short post-movie ficlet, talking about the kiss. 
> 
> Beta'd by [Fox!](http://spacefoxen.tumblr.com)

They’re sitting on the steps to Eddie’s apartment when he works up the courage to ask. The taste of blood and fabric is stuck in the back of his throat, but Venom is full and content, idly tapping Eddie’s fingers against the rust-eaten railing.

Maybe now that he’s got a semi-stable job they can move out. Chances are he’ll never be able to afford a place like the one he had with Anne; he’s got a feeling any extra money will be going to keeping Venom fed.

He wonders what Anne would do, if Anne was Venom’s permanent host.

Anne would probably adjust her budget accordingly.

Eddie thinks maybe it’s time to create a budget.

“Hey buddy?”

**What.**

“Okay, first, that’s rude,” Eddie says, ticking off his fingers. “Not how we talk to people on Earth. Two. About that kiss.”

**What about it?**

He feels Venom sliding up his spine, a gentle warmth against the evening chill. Venom pauses to examine a tattoo. A tendril emerges to trace the outline, starting from the point between his shoulders to his bicep. Its ticklish, and Eddie finds himself rubbing his shoulder against the metal railing like Baloo in _The Jungle Book._

“That was, uh.” Eddie stops abruptly as a woman walking her dog passes by. The dog whips its head around to growl at Eddie, flinging drool onto his shoes. Venom laughs as Eddie leans over to examine his newly-slobbery shoes.

He waves off the apology.

“Was Anne telling the truth?” Eddie asks, when the woman turns the corner.

Venom laughs again, rolling and low, that has Eddie’s bones vibrating in tune with the sound, his insides feeling like they’re dissolving into a puddle of goo.

Eddie’s decided he likes Venom’s laugh.

**What do you think?**

“I am not sure what I think,” Eddie says. “Which is why I’m asking you.”

 **Which do you prefer?** Venom slides out of Eddie’s chest, peering at his host. Eddie takes a second to examine Venom’s fangs before his tongue rolls out.

Eddie should be scared. Terrified. Those fangs, that mouth, had _eaten someone alive_ twenty minutes ago. A human. An awful, _terrible,_ human, yes. But a human. A _person_.

“I am. _Uh.”_

Venom leans in, close enough that Eddie’s vision is obscured by rippling black and opalescent eyes.

He’s not terrified.

 **_Eddie._ ** Venom gets even closer, until all Eddie can see is half an eye and probably three dozen teeth. **Which. Do. You.** **_Prefer?_ **

There’s something about the way Venom says _prefer_ that’s so similar to his laugh, Eddie sort of wants to just melt into Venom’s voice and live there.

“How about you tell me?” Eddie manages. “You’re the one in my head.”

 **I would rather hear** **_you_ ** **say it, Eddie.**

Eddie manages a weak laugh.

“You know avoiding the question is pretty much an answer, right?”

**Is it?**

“Yeah,” Eddie says, and he was telling the truth when he talked to Skirth—he had been a good reporter, he _is_ a good reporter, and Venom was trying to avoid answering the question.

The only thing Eddie has to figure out is _why._

He pauses for a moment, takes in the shadowy black form staring at him. Takes in the massive jaws, the teeth that effortlessly ripped through flesh. The _tongue._

Eddie’s pretty sure he knows the answer.

“You think that if you said it was you, I would freak out,” Eddie says. “Right? Because you look like you, not like Anne. You’d—you think I’d freak out.”

**Won’t you.**

“Um.” Eddie vacillates, fingers beating a nervous, rapid tempo into the railing, overwhelmed by the weight of Venom’s gaze. _“Uh.”_

 **Your reaction to our first meal was quite telling.** Venom makes a face, somehow managing to turn his grinning mouth into a frown.

Eddie scoffs, forcing his hands to be still.

“You mean the frozen tater tots, the rotten chicken you _had me eating out of the garbage?”_ Eddie says. “Yeah, here on Earth that’s not a meal. _That_ was disgusting _,_ and you are not disgusting _.”_

Venom perks up at that.

**I am not?**

“You are most definitely not,” Eddie says, before his brain can catch up to his mouth. Then he stops, mortified. “I mean!”

Venom laughs again, and black tendrils form around Eddie’s shoulders until he’s practically cocooned. It should be terrifying; Eddie should be fighting to escape the confines of the symbiote.

He’s still not terrified. There’s something so gentle, so _innocent_ about the way Venom is looking at him. Eddie’s not sure if it’s because he’s getting better at reading the subtle expressions in Venom’s face, or Venom’s accidentally pushing some emotions over from his side of the bond, but Venom is _relieved,_ relieved Eddie doesn’t think he’s disgusting. Doesn’t think he’s a monster.

 **I knew I chose correctly,** Venom says _._ **_Eddie._ **

“I think we should,” Eddie says. “Take this conversation upstairs?”

**_Why._ **

“Because,” Eddie manages, and Venom looms above him, teeth bared, until Eddie stretches out a hand to caress the massive jaw. Venom retreats, head becoming smaller as he pools back into Eddie’s chest. “Because I don’t think our neighbors want to see me kissing an alien from outer space.”

 **Ah.** Venom presses his chin into Eddie’s hand, and now _purring_ is a thing symbiotes do, because Venom is purring and his bones are vibrating again, and Venom is looking up at Eddie in a way that kind of makes his heart want to explode. **Lead the way, Eddie Brock.**

Despite what Eddie had said _literally_ thirty seconds ago, he can’t help but press a kiss against the corner of Venom’s jaw. Venom trembles under the touch,and Eddie wonders if this has ever happened before. How many others, aliens on faraway planets had—

 **No, Eddie,** Venom says, and now his voice is barely above a whisper. **Only with you. Only you, Eddie.**

Eddie is quiet. He watches Venom watch him, eyes narrowing as he studies Eddie’s face. The silence between them is warm, and Eddie is almost ready to take them upstairs when Venom leans forward again, getting closer and closer until his forehead is pressed against Eddie’s.

Eddie doesn’t move. Again, he wonders what Anne would do in this situation. Anne had always been comfortable taking charge. Anne would know what to do.

Teeth graze Eddie’s bottom lip, but Venom hesitates. From this distance, Eddie can feel Venom’s body heat, blood-warm and pulsing with life.

It had been Anne, Eddie realizes. Anne, because while _Venom_ wanted it, _Anne_ knew how to do it. And _it_ had worked.

 _Symbiosis,_ Eddie thinks, choking back a laugh. And Venom’s not sure if he can do it alone.

Venom scowls, and that’s how Eddie knows he’s right.

 **I am** **_not_ ** **alone, Eddie.**

“I know you aren’t,” Eddie whispers. Venom sighs at that, a tired, _relieved_ noise Eddie feels in the base of his skull. The sound of coming home after a long day.

Here,” Eddie says, lifting his hands to cup Venom’s jaw, leaning forward to close the distance between them. “Let me show you.”  

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback only helps me get better! I'm [soundwavereporting](http://soundwavereporting.tumblr.com) on tumblr.


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